OVERVIEW

For those students taking 9 credits, the course is divided into two modules for a total of 60 hours. The first module provides a general overview of the development of cities in Europe and the Mediterranean. The different aspects (political, social, economic, religious, material) of urban life will be discussed as well as the many themes and problems that historians have addressed over time. The second module will consist of an in-depth discussion of the Italian Communes (12th-15th centuries), with particular reference to Genoa. The peculiarities of the urban context of north-central Italy as well as the specificities of the major Ligurian city (sources, political, social and economic aspects) will be addressed, also in comparison with other European and Mediterranean cities.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course on "Medieval cities" aims at providing knowledge on the political, economic, social and demographic as well as material development of Mediterranean and European cities during the Middle Ages.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

As part of the general objectives, it is intended that students learn to recognize the richness and diversity of medieval cities, to make comparisons between different urban contexts from different angles, and to structure and discuss a written paper. At the end of the course, students will be able to understand and illustrate the complexity of medieval cities and the main topics addressed by historians.

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of the English language (reading and listening comprehension level B2 of the common European framework of reference for languages).

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures, also with the use of slides; part of the material will be provided during the lecture, a part will be available in various formats on Aulaweb.

Lectures will be held in presence. It will be possible to follow the lectures remotely (streaming/recordings via Teams platform) only for those students who make express request for it at the beginning of the course by writing to the lecturer. Those who follow the lectures from home will be considered non-attendees and therefore they will be examined on the specific syllabus for non-attendees as indicated in the section above.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

An overview of the history of cities in the Middle Ages, interpretative categories, updates on historiographical trends

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Main reference texts:

- G. Milani, I comuni italiani. Secoli XII-XIV, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2015.

- F. Franceschi, I. Taddei, Le città italiane nel medioevo XII-XIV secolo, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2012.

Selective bibliography:

- E. Artifoni, Città e comuni, in Storia medievale, Roma, Donzelli, 1998, pp. 363-386.

- E. Artifoni, I governi di “popolo” e le istituzioni comunali nella seconda metà del secolo XIII, «Reti medievali Rivista», IV/2 (2003), pp. 1-20 (http://www.rmojs.unina.it).

- D. Bezzina, Social Landscapes, in A Companion to Medieval Genoa, a cura di C. Beneš, Leiden, Brill, pp. 165-189.

- R. Bordone, La città comunale in Modelli di città. Strutture e funzioni politiche, a cura di P. Rossi, Einaudi, Torino, 1987, pp. 347-370 (http://www.rmoa.unina.it/167/).

- G. Chittolini, La città europea tra Medioevo e Rinascimento, in Modelli di città. Strutture e funzioni politiche, a cura di P. Rossi, Torino, Einaudi, 1987, pp. 370-393 (http://www.rmoa.unina.it/476/).

- L. Filangieri, The Commune, in A Companion to Medieval Genoa, a cura di C. Beneš, Leiden, Brill, pp. 95-119.

- P. Guglielmotti, Genova, Fondazione Cisam, 2013.

- D. M. Nichols, The Growth of the Medieval City. From the Late Antiquity to the Early Fourteenth Century, Routledge, 1997.

- D. M. Nichols, The Later Medieval City: 1300-1500, Routledge, 1997.

- G. Tabacco, La città vescovile nell’alto Medioevo in Modelli di città. Strutture e funzioni politiche, a cura di P. Rossi, Torino, Einaudi, 1987, pp. 327-345 (http://www.rmoa.unina.it/1213/).

Further information on the requirements for the exam will be provided during the first lecture; this will also be available on Aulaweb. Non-attending students are requested to contact the lecturer to establish the programme for the exam. 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

DENISE BEZZINA (President)

PAOLA GUGLIELMOTTI

MARIA ELENA CORTESE (Substitute)

SANDRA MACCHIAVELLO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

19 February 2024.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Essay and oral exam

ASSESSMENT METHODS

For those taking 9 credits (CFU)

An assay (Italian native speakers may use their own language) of about 2500 words (excluding bibliography) for attendees, and 3500 words (excluding bibliography) for non-attendees, on a subject of their choice to be agreed with the lecturer, who will also provide general bibliographical indications. The oral exam will consist in a discussion of the assay and questions aimed at verifying the students’ ability to appreciate and explain the richness and peculiarity of medieval cities, and the main historiographical debates relating to the topics discussed during the lectures.

For those taking 6 credits (CFU)

An assay (Italian native speakers may use their own language) of about 1500 words (excluding bibliography) for attendees, and 2500 words (excluding bibliography) for non-attendees, on a subject of their choice to be agreed with the lecturer, who will also provide general bibliographical indications. The oral exam will consist in a discussion of the assay and questions aimed at verifying the students’ ability to appreciate and explain the richness and peculiarity of medieval cities, and the main historiographical debates relating to the topics discussed during the lectures.

Exam schedule